Americans Abroad

Lewis shines for Preston North End, has red card rescinded.

By Robert Wagman (in Washington, D.C.)
SoccerTimes

(Monday, September 27, 2004) -- United States midfielder Eddie Lewis was back in action Saturday, turning in a solid performance to help Preston North End defeat Crewe 1-0 in the second-division English League Championship

Lewis thought he would have to sit out after receiving a red card late in Preston's 4-0 Carling Cup victory over Mansfield Town of the fourth-tier League Two. Referee Phil Prosser, however, had second thoughts about the ejection and, possibly after conversation's with officials from the England's Football Association, withdrew his ejection, negating an automatic suspension for Lewis.

It was a busy week for teams in England with most playing midweek matches in the Carling Cup (formerly the League Cup) along with their regular weekend league matches.

The Carling Cup, along with the more renowned FA Cup, are England's two major tournaments. With most matches played at teams from lower divisions, hard rain over the nation held attendance at most games to the 5,000 level.

Against Crewe in league play, Lewis came close twice, on a blast that was deflected just wide by defender Mark Roberts, and a curving 30-yard strike that hit the crossbar.

In North End's Carling Cup first-round match, Lewis' night went from the sublime to the ridiculous. He turned in a dominant performance, assisting two goals and forcing a foul with the subsequent free kick converted into a goal in North End's decision over Mansfield.

Three minutes in, Lewis's corner kick from the left was headed in by Richard Cresswell. Five minutes later, Lewis was taken down by Tom Curtis just outside of the penalty area, leading to Graham Alexander putting in a low free kick.

Lewis was taken down again in the 35th minute, a step outside the box, and this free kick hit the goal frame and bounced away. In the 84th minute, he beat two defenders to the end line, cut the ball back to the penalty spot where Simon Lynch slid to drive it home after making it 4-0.

As Lewis raced off after the goal, he high-fived a front-row fan and Prosser issued a yellow card, ejecting Lewis with his second caution of the game. Lewis was initially shown yellow when he kicked a ball away following a foul call in the 21st minute.

The official match report did not include a red card for Lewis. With the two victories in a week, North End caretaker manager Billy Davies moved closer to getting the job full-time.

United States goalkeeper Kasey Keller looked sharp in his first start of the season for Tottenham Hotspur with the Premier League club posting an easy 6-0 victory over Oldham of the third-tier League One. After 60 minutes, Spurs lead 1-0 and were only ahead because of good saves by Keller on Jamaican Jermaine Johnson, New Zealander Chris Killen and a dangerous cross from 40-year-old David Eyres.

Robbie Keane scored in the 64th minute and Jermain Defoe seven minutes later before Spurs added three tallies in the final three minutes.

On Saturday, Tottenham faced off against Manchester United, an EPL match that would have featured two American goalkeepers a year ago. This weekend, however, Northern Ireland international Roy Carroll was in net for United instead of Tim Howard for a second straight match, while Paul Robinson was in the Spurs net despite Keller's clean sheet against Oldham. Howard was not dressed, while Keller took his usual spot in the bench.

Carroll and Robison both acquitted themselves well, with Ruud van Nistlerooy's penalty kick giving United the 1-0 decision.

Howard might have a new, longer-term problem. Italian keeper Carlo Cudicini has been supplanted at Chelsea by newly-arrived Czech international Petr Cech, and Ferguson has reportedly expressed interest in Cudicini when the transfer window opens in January.

The 31-year-old Italian, who is coming off injury, says he wants to stay at Chelsea and win his place back, but if that does not happen, he might be happy to move onto Man. U. to compete with Howard and Carroll for the top spot. In addition, United is also said to be looking at Norwich goalkeeper Robert Green, who was reported to be on his way to Arsenal in January, but this could well only be a ploy by the player to drive up his price for Arsenal.

A decidedly reserve-laden Manchester City, with U.S. midfielder Claudio Reyna sidelined with an unspecified injury, believed to be a muscle strain in his leg, had no trouble blasting League One's Barnsley 7-1 in the Carling Cup.

With three players serving suspensions, U.S. striker Brian McBride received a rare Premier League start in Fulham's 1-0 win over Southampton Saturday. McBride set himself in position to have several good opportunities, but was not able to convert. On several, he ended up with his back to goal and could not successfully turn on a defender.

Midweek, McBride scored in the 34th minute as Fulham had little trouble with League Two's Boston United, winning 4-1. McBride took a pass from Liam Rosenior, took time to settle and let fly with a 19-yard blast that found the top right corner of the goal.

U.S. defender Carlos Bocanegra continues to nurse a slight hamstring pull and did not dress for either Fulham match.

In the oddest Carling Cup match, Brad Friedel was given the night off by new manager Mark Hughes, who quickly regretted that decision when Blackburn Rovers dropped the second-round match to Bournemouth 7-6 on penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw.

Friedel's replacement, Peter Enckelman did not have a strong night as both teams scored early. Bournemouth went ahead 2-1 on Karl Broadhurst's goal in the 86th minute with Rovers tying matters 2-2 with Morten Gamst Pedersen's tally in stoppage time.

Paul Gallagher put Rovers ahead 3-2 in the first minute of overtime with Bournemouth pulling level at 3-3 when John Spicer scored in the 115th minute. Bournemouth converted seven of eight tie-breaking penalty kicks.

Behind American Marcus Hahnemann's solid goalkeeping, including two fine saves on Gavin Mahon, Reading defeated Watford 1-0 Saturday in the League Championship. U.S. midfielder Bobby Convey did not play.

On Wednesday, however, Reading rested several starters and went down 3-0 to Watford in the Carling Cup's second round.

Reading controlled the action for long periods and all three Watford goals were scored decidedly against the run of play. It was a nightmare of a night for Hahnemann in goal, a solid effort gone to waste when he was beaten on a penalty kick early, a counter-attack goal in stoppage time when Reading had committed ten players to the attack, and an own goal on the last kick of the match.

Convey went the full 90 minutes and had some good touches, but should have finished a goal in the ninth minute instead of shooting high.

Robert Wagman is a SoccerTimes senior correspondent. E-mail Robert Wagman.